Reconstructed Love
by Instant Noodler
Summary: His hands trembled as he removed the bandages from her face. This couldn't be right. "Doctor Takahashi," the nurse whispered. There was an eerie silence in the room before InuYasha Takahashi responded, "I know, I know. She looks just like... 'her.'"
1. Fate's Cruel Twist

Lately, I've been busy with my exchange package to Keio and Waseda University. Also, I've been learning hiragana and katakana like crazy. No, I'm not kidnapped :) Well, I ran out of ideas for my other stories... but I have a new idea for a new story and here it is.

* * *

**Fate's Cruel Twist**

* * *

The paramedic team was in frenzy on scene of a severe motor accident. Debris and particles from the car in flames down the road scattered all over the ground. Blood, there was blood splattered... everywhere.

"Lever! We need the lever here!"

"The fire has been controlled!"

"Roger that."

"One female on site, twenty-nine meters away from the initial explosion. She has her vital signs but her face is terribly disfigured from severe lacerations."

"Can we close the road and set up a detour?"

"Roger, we'll get right to it."

The paramedics transferred the young woman onto a stretcher while surveying her wounds. There were glasses embedded in the flesh of her skin; they needed a specialist surgeon to remove the broken particles from her tissues.

"Can we get an ID?"

The flashing paramedic lights, police lights, and fire truck lights lit the night. The highway was congested with the crush of cars merging into a single stream to avoid the aftermath of the explosion of a vehicle's gas tank leakage. Luckily when the car had its accident, it was the only car on the road.

_Beep. Beep._

"Take her to the ER of Tonan University Hospital. I still need that ID!" the police supervisor prompted his team once more. They couldn't do anything until they had found identification for the woman. Stupid bureaucratic policies about medical liabilities.

"Sir, I think this might be the victim's wallet. Have a look."

The police supervisor took the wallet from his investigator and took out a driver's license. He studied it intently and finally announced his discovery, "This is must be her, Kagome Higurashi. 24-years-old from Kansai. Contact her immediate family members and send her into surgery." He handed the wallet back to his investigator and gave him an reassuring look.

"Thank you, Meguru-san, we'll take it from here," the paramedic thanked the police investigator and took the wallet from him.

Kagome Higurashi was half-conscious; she was aware of everything that was happening to her but her head wasn't processing the information. She was driving and lost control of the steering. Everything after that... she remembered smelling gasoline and in a haze she tried her hardest to run out of the car but she didn't get very far.

Now, every single muscle in her body just ached. She could move her right hand. It was slimy and sticky... very sticky. She tried to open her eyes but it hurt every time she tried. Her face felt... taut by something. It seemed like a liquid had dried up and formed a mask on her face. She could smell antiseptics and an overwhelming scent of metal...

Little did she know the metallic scent was all from her own blood.

Just hours ago she was out shopping with her friends. That was the first time she had had fun in years. She was a new graduate student from Keio University's biomedical engineering program. She was supposed to start her doctorate degree to become a neurosurgical physician in a few weeks. Unfortunately, her happiness was short lived with the accident half an hour prior.

Little did she know this was one accident that was going to change the course of her life, forever. In a masochist way, she was going to gain more from her loss.

-x-x-x-

When his phone rang... oh when his phone rang, it was never a good thing. He dreaded that ringing. No matter what ringtone he had, it never failed to make the hair on the back of his neck stand up. The fact that his phone rang was always a bad thing. It often involved an extensive surgery no shorter than 5 hours. He glanced at his clock. It was a quarter to midnight. So much for time off. He never understood why he didn't just move to somewhere like California in the States to open his own practice. He was a groundbreaking surgeon in trauma reconstruction but worked for the Tonan University Hospital.

He worked like a dog through double-digit shifts. Tomorrow was going to be his day off. He had always taken March the 28th off every year for the past 11 years. They knew that at the hospital.

The phone rang again.

Dammit.

"This better be an earth-shattering emergency," he grumbled and finally rolled out of his comfortable bed and picked up his cellphone. He hesitated when his finger brushed over the "answer" button of the touch screen.

"Hello?" InuYasha sounded terribly irritated. He didn't even make an effort to suppress his displeasure in the situation. The hospital should know better to call their doctor during their off period.

"Takahashi-sensei, we have an extreme emergency. We have a woman here, 24, with severe facial lacerations. Complete disfigurement. Only you can save her from mutilation," the ER surgeon, Miroku Kouki's voice was on the other side. He knew how to play it right to convince InuYasha.

InuYasha let out a long sigh and ran his fingers through his short black hair, "I'll be there in 10."

-x-x-x-

"Kagome!" a middle-aged woman ran down the hallway of the hospital panic stricken in tears. The hair rollers were still in her hair; she didn't have the time to take them out when she had gotten that dreaded phone call that every mother feared. "Kagome!" she cried again.

"Onee-chan!" a younger boy in his late teens followed the woman. He clutched to the zippers of his zip-up hoodie as he ran down the hall with his mother. His blue pajama was underneath the hooded sweater. He prayed and prayed his sister would be all right.

"I got the call! Is my daughter alright?" the woman was on the verge of tears, clutching to the sleeves of the ER nurse who was making an effort to calm her down.

"The doctors are trying their hardest in there right now to save Miss Higurashi. Please fill in these forms, Madam. You'll need to wait out here patiently before she's out of surgery," the nurse held Midori Higurashi's hands and took her be seated in the waiting room's seating area. "One thing though, Madam."

The nurse paused and took out another sheet from the clipboard to show the older woman. She bit her lips and hesitated for a moment before she began again, "Miss Higurashi's face had been severely... injured. She will need a plastic surgeon to repair the damage, now. This is a form for you to sign to show that you understand all of the risks associated with the surgeries being performed in there. Her other vital signs have been stabilized. She'll be alright."

Midori Higurashi paused for a moment. Severe facial injuries? Her daughter was only twenty-four. She wasn't even married yet. She didn't even have a boyfriend. How would she live the rest of her life... disfigured? She was going to become a doctor. Modori held back her tears and stared blankly at the nurse. "How... how severe are her injuries?" she finally mustered enough courage to ask her.

"Th-... they are... quite severe," the nurse had to tell the patient's family the truth. "But we have one of the best reconstructive surgeon, Doctor Takahashi, InuYasha."

-x-x-x-

_Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep.._

"Heart rate 72 bpm. Blood pressures: systolic, 111 mmHg; diastolic, 63 mmHg. All vital signs stabilizing."

"Excellent," InuYasha glanced at the monitor himself again to confirm the numbers before he proceeded to the next step. "Forceps please," he held out his hand to receive the instrument from his assistant.

The bright light of the surgical room kept him alert. He made no mistakes at this. After all, he was the very best at this. He needed to restore this young woman's face. He could tell from her bone structures that she was a beauty. But what he was doing right now was more than just restoring her facial aesthetics; one wrong flicker of the wrist can hit the wrong nerve and cause her face to become paralyzed for life. The trauma was to her face where the tissues were the most sensitive.

He was meticulous in his work. He had been at this for over six hours now. "Dilator please," he requested politely from his medical staff assisting him.

His incisions were second to none. Oh yes, he was that good.

_Beep... Beep... Beep..._

InuYasha smiled to himself as he removed the final piece of glass embedded in the woman's cheek. "Got it," he whispered to himself as he dropped the small piece of sharp glass in the stainless steel tin. He firmly placed the forceps on the stand by the surgery table.

"Needles and thread, please. I've removed all shattered glass pieces. I'm going to finish the stitching myself," InuYasha held out his hand to receive the fine-gauged needle from his assistant. "Thank you."

With each flicking of his wrist, he carefully stitched the lacerations together. Perfectly straight stitching. He admired his own work as he went. This was another successful surgery.

He couldn't help it but to cringe and lament a little for the patient on the surgery table. He was able to remove the foreign material form her face and stitch the broken tissues together. Unfortunately, he couldn't save her original facial features. He knew the surgery was a success. It was simply beautiful - his stitch work. But no one could know for certain about the surgery until she wakes up and heals in two or three months. Only time would tell.

-x-x-x-

The red light ceased. Midori and Souta ran towards the doors of the surgical room. A handsome surgeon stepped out first, removing his surgical mask and met with the two concerned family members.

"She'll be fine," InuYasha reassured them. "The surgery was a success but we'll have to see how she recovers. She might require extensive trauma repairs after this though, please be prepared. But I assure you this was one of my best surgery."

"Thank you, ..." Midori paused, unsure of how to address the surgeon.

"Takahashi, InuYasha," he held out his hand to the older woman.

"Thank you, Takahashi-sensei," Midori smiled through her tears.

"Onee-san! Onee-san!" Souta directed his attention to the patient who was rolled out of the surgery room. The patient's head was completely wrapped around in bandages. The rest of her body was in casts.

"Kagome! Kagome! Can you hear me, love?"

"Higurashi-san will be awake in a few hours. I'll be doing a round tonight. If you excuse me, Madam, Sir," InuYasha addressed Midori and Souta politely and nodded. He turned his attention to the surgical nurse to give his instructions, "Rin-chan, please take Miss Higurashi to PS102."

-x-x-x-

_"Kikyo! Kikyo! Kikyo! Kikyo! I know you're still here! Kikyo! Talk to me! You can't go! Don't you dare leaving me! Kikyo!" he hovered by her bed with tears in his gray eyes._

_Beeeeeep..._

_"Kikyo!" he bit down his lips and quivered. She was gone and he knew it. "Kikyo!" He leaned into her and embraced her while burying his face into the pillows by her head. Of all the people, why her? Why was she the one who was dead? He collected himself and looked at her once more. She was so peaceful and beautiful. He reached for her left hand. Her body was cold like marble. He held her hand by his face and felt her smooth skin with his. He kissed the large diamond engagement ring on her finger and trembled in tears. He was in a mess._

_"Takahashi-san?" the doctor gingerly placed his palm on his shoulder console him. "I'm sorry. But there wasn't anything we could have done to help Sato-san."_

_"I know... I know... But she's only 24..." InuYasha whispered, avoiding the doctor's glance._

_"Take Sato-san to the morgue, Miyo-chan," the doctor instructed the nurse._

_"Hai, Watanabe-sensei," the nurse began unhooking the monitors from Kikyo. InuYasha watched in silenced torment._

"Kikyo! Kikyo! Kikyo!" InuYasha screamed in anguish. He leaped up and his eyes shot open when his head made contact with the rim of the lamp. He breathed heavily and felt the cold sweat on his forehead. He had a nightmare... again. It's been 11 years exactly since the day of her passing but he could still not forget.

"Takahashi-sensei!" Rin rushed into InuYasha's office upon hearing the outcry. "Are you alright?"

InuYasha realized his surroundings. He had fallen asleep at his desk after the Higurashi surgery... right... He smiled apologetically, "I'm fine, I'm sorry, Rin-chan. Resume as before."

* * *

Hm... I might go back and change things... This will have to do for now.


	2. A Familiar Face From the Past

**A Familiar Face From the Past**

* * *

"Kouki-sensei, good morning. To whom do we owe the pleasure of your visit to?" the young nurse simpered at the ER doctor's surprise visit to the recovery ward. Doctor Miroku Kouki was especially handsome today. Miroku Kouki. 32 years old. ER surgeon. Comes for a good family. Single... And a womanizer.

"Na-chan, delightful as ever now are we? You look gorgeous, hon," Miroku winked at the nurse and grinned when she turned into a shade redder than before. "I'm looking for Takahashi-sensei. Where is he right now? Not in surgery, I would presume?"

He was going to break in an hour and wanted to grab lunch with someone. His best friend, InuYasha Takahashi, would be the perfect lunch buddy.

"Ah, you just missed him. He left ten minutes ago. He's off for the day. It's March 28th, remember?" the nurse gently reminded Miroku. Who could forget? It's that date again for heaven's sake. InuYasha went through a lot of trouble to take the 28th of March off every single year. That was one of his employment terms - to have March 28th off. Because of that small change in agenda, the March surgery schedule was especially difficult if not impossible to tweak.

"Right! Right! Right!" Miroku tapped his forehead with his palm. He was thirty-seven hours into his shift and his brain seemed to have stopped working. How could have forgotten? InuYasha was at Kikyo's. Miroku had always found that strange - InuYasha was still mourning the death of his fiancé even after twelve whole years. But then again, he had also admired InuYasha for his dedication.

-x-x-x-

"Kaede is finishing high school this year. She's graduating next month. Can you believe it? Kids grow so fast!" InuYasha chuckled as he played with the piece of grass in his hands. "She was only 6 years old when you last... saw her... She misses you. She wished she could come today but she has her entrance exam to TU. You should be proud of her. I am. Although... Although I secretly want her to go to Waseda. You know? Our alma mater?"

InuYasha smiled at the picture of Kikyo on the gravestone. God, she was beautiful. So beautiful. It's been 12 years but it had always been her. Her alone. She didn't have a replacement. She was irreplaceable to him.

_'Blinds are so tacky, InuYasha! Especially the ones that roll down! I want the pretty lacy white curtains!' she pouted as she tugged his sweater's sleeves._

_'Well, I like my roll down blinds! They completely block all the lights out! I need to sleep in complete darkness after my shifts!' he grinned as he grabbed her waist closer to him. _

_Kikyo let out a long sigh and stared him down before she spoke again, 'Fine. You win. But I get to pick the colours.'_

He chuckled at the memory of their curtain-shopping excursion for their new home. She was always so agreeable. He suddenly cringed for a moment. Something was wrong with him. He could barely remember Kikyo's voice. He had forgotten exactly how she sounded like. It was a fuzzy notion in his head already. No matter how hard he had tried to remember her voice it was disappearing from his weak human memories. Lately it was even harder to envision her face. InuYasha panicked.

No. No. No. This wasn't happening to him. He wanted to remember her. He needed to remember her. Memories of her had to be fresh in his mind all the time. It was his obsession. For years he was dysfunctional after her passing. Then, he made a pact that he would only visit her grave once a year to control his neurosis.

He thought long and hard for a moment and leaned to touch the cold marble with his forehead.

"I love you, Kikyo," he smiled as he repositioned the bouquet of red roses in front of her grave. He took a long and deep breath and took in the gentle fragrance. He looked up to survey the surroundings. It was already cherry blossom season. The light pink flowers were in full bloom.

He looked at her picture once more and smiled.

* * *

**Days Later...**

_Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep..._

She woke up to the sound of a heart monitor and the scent of strong disinfectants. There was no doubt about it. She was in a hospital.

_'Gah! No! No! No! Ah! No!'_

Her head pounded as she recalled the memory of her losing control of the steering. How long has it been? Had she been in a coma this whole time?

"Ah, you're finally awake, Higurashi-san! I'm so glad!" the nurse rushed to her side and helped Kagome to adjust the pillows so that she could sit up comfortably.

"How long... how long have I been asleep for?" Kagome asked the nurse hesitantly. She was afraid of the answer. For all she knew it could be for years. She brought the arm that wasn't in cast up to feel her face. Her entire head was in bandages. Her heart sank. Did something happen to her face in the accident? Her cheeks were sore and itchy. She could barely see from the small slit cut out from the bandages.

"Hm... Just two weeks. Not that long after you've gone through so much, Higurashi-san," the nurse reassured Kagome that she hadn't missed much of her life. "Let me call Takahashi-sensei to check on you, alright? I'll be right back."

Kagome was in a daze. With the bandages around her face it was even hard to breathe. Her heart was pounding against her chest. Was she disfigured? No... No... No... She was living a nightmare.

"Higurashi-san?" a deep and soothing voice called her name. Kagome looked up to find a dashingly attractive doctor standing by her bed in a white coat, glancing through her patient file.

"I'm InuYasha Takahashi, the surgeon who performed your reconstructive surgery," InuYasha held out his hand to meet Kagome's.

"Re..constructive surgery?" Kagome repeated his words, almost in a whisper. "I... had reconstructive surgery..."

"The impact damaged your visage and your tissues were damaged from shattering glass. We had to repair it. But please, I reassure you that the surgery was a success," InuYasha tried to give Kagome a smile to cheer her up. "I was able to restore your full sensory nervous system in the facial area."

"Oh..." was all she could say.

"Kotoko-chan, can we contact Higurashi-san's mother? I need to speak with her," InuYasha turned to the nurse and gave her some extensive orders. He looked to Kagome again and smiled, "You need plenty of rest right now, Higurashi-san. I can talk to you later if you have any concerns."

* * *

**A Few Weeks Later...**

"Kaede! How were your results?" InuYasha turned to the young girl as she opened the left door and sat in the passenger seat.

"I got in! I got in! I got my offer from TokyoU!" Kaede shouted excitedly as she leaned over to hug InuYasha. "I placed eighth in the national exam!"

Kaede opened her bag to take out another package, "I got Waseda too, Onii-chan!"

"Ah! I'm so happy for you!" InuYasha's gray eyes sparkled. "Your Onee-chan will be so proud of you!"

Kaede grinned, "I know. I know."

"We have to go out to celebrate! Where do you want to go?" InuYasha clutched to the steering wheel of his Lexus and smiled at Kaede.

"Ne, Onii-chan. You pick, you need to celebrate too!" Kaede poked InuYasha and grinned.

"..What?" he stared at her, blankly.

"It's your 38th birthday, Onii-chan! How can you forget you old man? Are you so old that you can't even remember your own birthday?" Kaede joked as she punched InuYasha once again.

"I stopped counting, kiddo," he chuckled once again.

-x-x-x-

"Onii-chan, what are you going to wish for?" Kaede stared at InuYasha who was sitting beside her on the high bar stool of the restaurant with the cake in front of them. "Choose wisely! You only get that one special wish every year!"

"Hm... I have everything I want," InuYasha let out a long sigh and returned to watch Kaede. "I'm going to wish for world peace."

Kaede gave InuYasha an annoyed look, played with her hoodie drawstring, and looked up to the ceiling for a while to think. She really didn't have to think long and hard. She knew exactly what her Onii-chan lacked in his life.

"Ne, Inu-Onii-chan. You need a girlfriend," Kaede grinned ear to ear at InuYasha. "Ah... Hm... That sounds weird... a 38-year-old old man with a 'girlfriend.' Let's hope you get married by the end of this year! It's the end of June now. You have less than half a year!"

InuYasha's eyebrows perked up. Did Kaede just say what he thought she did? "No I don't! Mind your own business, Kaede!" he replied curtly to the hopeful teenager.

"Onee-sama had been dead for... twelve years? Since I was... 5 years old," Kaede leaned closer to the table. "You know she can't come back to life, Onii-chan. She'd want you to be happy too."

InuYasha avoided Kaede's gaze and stared at the flickering thirty-eight candles on the small cake. "I know," he finally spoke up. "But she's irreplaceable, Kaede. You won't understand."

Kaede gulped. She suddenly felt... afraid. InuYasha looked like he was about to cry. His gray eyes turned into a dark coal color. She patted him on the back and began to apologize, "Eh... Onii-chan. I'm sorry. Please, don't cry... Ah... Hm... Eh... Why don't you... Eh... Wish for a pony instead?"

InuYasha let out a long sigh once again. He was scaring Kaede with his outburst of emotions. They were celebrating today. He wasn't going to ruin the mood. The corners of his mouth suddenly perked up. He let out a whole-hearted laugh, "Ha! I got cha, baka! You should have seen your face! It was priceless! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Kaede stared at InuYasha and rolled her eyes, "Not funny, Onii-chan!"

"Hm... What shall I wish for this year? I'll wish for a girlfriend," InuYasha paused to look at Kaede and smiled ear to ear. "Happy now?"

"Yes! Now blow out the candles!"

* * *

**Three Months Later...**

"Higurashi-san, your daughter has recovery well. I don't foresee any scarring when I remove the bandages," InuYasha nodded at Midori Higurashi once again to reassure her once again.

"All... alright. Please do your best, Takahashi-sensei," Midori smiled weakly. Her daughter was having her bandages removed today. No one could know for certain how it would go. "I want to show you something, Takahashi-sensei," she whispered as she pulled out a small album.

"This is Kagome before her accident," Midroki flipped to a picture of Kagome's Keio graduation.

InuYasha stared at the girl in the picture. She was gorgeous with her long black locks. She had beautiful big brown eyes, a high nose bridge, and a perfect jawline.

"I understand, Higurashi-san. I will schedule her for another surgery if... the results today are unfavorable," InuYasha nodded understandingly at the elder mother.

-x-x-x-

"Higurashi-san, we're here to remove your bandages today," InuYasha informed Kagome. "Rin-chan is here to assist me."

Rin smiled at Kagome and bowed to her patient politely.

InuYasha was certain that Kagome had known this already. But there really wasn't anything else he could say to her. He had been doing this for years now and yet it had never gotten easier. What she would look like after the bandages were removed, no one knew. Nothing was for certain.

She knew she would find out today when the doctor removed the bandages from her face today. The anticipation was killing her and yet in a way, she would rather to never find out. But she knew she would have to face it someday. It might as well as be today. She had already prepared herself. She could never look like her old self again. She could never really be Kagome Higurashi. This was ridiculous.

"I'm... I'm ready..." Kagome let out a weak smile and shifted closer to InuYasha. She clenched to her bed sheets and waited. Was it her or was it especially cold in her patient room today?

"Honey, it's going to be all okay," Midori gripped her daughter's shoulder firmly. "I'm here for you. Takahashi-sensei has been trying so hard. He'll do his best."

He had done this a million times before but he had an ominous feeling this time that he couldn't identify.

"Rin-chan, scissors please," he held out his hand to accept the scissors from the nurse.

InuYasha brought the pair of scissors to trip the knot of the cotton strip. His hands trembled as he removed the first layer of bandages from her face. Piece by piece, he wounded down the bandage straps and held his breath as he snipped the bandage strips. This was always the most difficult part.

Kagome shifted uncomfortably and bit her lips. Her breathing was uneven. She was afraid. Very afraid.

Now on with the second layer... He gently peeled off the cotton.

"No scars yet," he smiled weakly at the sight of her pale skin to comfort Kagome. He took the tweezers from the tray to remove the cotton from her temple. When he caught sight of her eyes, his pupils constricted.

...

...

...

...

This couldn't be right.

No.

...

...

...

Kagome blinked at InuYasha. Something was wrong... the way he was staring at her face. No...

Suddenly, the room was silent.

...

Dead silent.

...

...

...

...

...

Midori stared at her daughter. Kagome's eyes had completely changed... She couldn't even recognize her own daughter. Midori's mouth was agape.

"Takahashi-sensei," the young nurse whispered to break the long silence in the room. Rin clenched her jaw. She was dating InuYasha's elder brother, Sesshomaru Takahashi. She had seen pictures of InuYasha from years ago with his fiancé Kikyo. Kagome... had Kikyo's eyes.

...

...

InuYasha gulped. He didn't know how to react. His patient... looked like... her. An overwhelmingly sense of nostalgia washed over him. Those eyes..._ 'Her'_ eyes...

...

...

...

...

...

Kagome sat in terror as everyone in the room fixed their gazes on her.

...

...

Tick tock.

...

...

...

...Tick...

Tock...

...

Tick...

Tick...

...

...

Silence...

...

He clenched his jaw and took away another piece of cotton. And another one. Another one. There were all there... All there... Her features. Every single one of them were like _'hers.'_

...

_Hers._

...

She looked like _her._..

...

Every single one of his nerves intertwined. He had a strange feeling in his stomach. He hadn't done this intentionally. Not at all. No.

There was an eerie silence in the room before InuYasha Takahashi responded, "I know, I know. She looks just like... _'her.'_"

He forced a smile on his face and said almost in a whisper, "The surgery was a success, congratulations."

...

...

...

He rose from his seat and bowed politely before he rushed out of the room.

Tears began to fall from her eyes. She couldn't take it anymore.

"No, Higurashi-san! It was... well!" Rin handed the mirror into Kagome's hands and clutched to her arms.

Kagome slowly opened her eyes to look at herself in the mirror. Her hands shook. "This... is... me...?" she whispered as she watched her jaw move. She couldn't recognize herself anymore. Not at all. She was a completely different woman. She stared at her own eyes. They were now rounder. What happened to her almond eyes? She brought her fingertips to touch her nose. They were now more angular than before. She brushed her hand gingerly above her mouth... She was... someone else.

The change scared her. She wasn't ugly. She wasn't deformed. No. She was far from that. She had become... In a way she hated to accept this... but... She was more gorgeous? No, she was beautiful before the surgery. But now, now... She was now more "alluring." Her features were in a way more feminine.

There was a feeling engendered in her that she couldn't describe. She dropped the mirror and buried her face into the blanket.

* * *

Did what I think happened happened? Woah... Woah... Well... Until next time, folks :)


End file.
